


A Meddlesome Minerva and Bewitched Butterbeers

by articcat621, LunaP999



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Not Canon Compliant, Post-Hogwarts, Professor Hermione Granger, Romance, Severus Snape Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:01:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28972491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/articcat621/pseuds/articcat621, https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunaP999/pseuds/LunaP999
Summary: It's their first Hogsmeade duty together, Hermione and Severus find themselves in a bit of a sticky situation. Luckily, it brings some things to light.
Relationships: Hermione Granger/Severus Snape
Comments: 19
Kudos: 174
Collections: Snape Bigbang 2020





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Many thanks to my team for looking this lovely fic over. Squarepeg72, starrnobella, and GaeilgeRua, ya'll are amazing. And thank you so much to my two AMAZING artists katherine1753 and LunaP999 for their incredible work. 
> 
> Disclaimer: All non-original characters, plot points, quotes, and information belongs to J.K. Rowling and Bloomsbury/Scholastic, and anyone else that may own any part of it. The story plot and dialogue belong to me. I do not write for profit.

“Now, there’s just one more thing we need to address before we adjourn for the evening,” Headmistress McGonagall said, looking out at her Hogwarts’ staff. “There’s been some arguing among you about who is paired with who for Hogsmeade weekends. In all my years at Hogwarts, this has never been an issue, but apparently, this year, it is.” She narrowed her eyes, glancing at her staff. Filius awkwardly coughed, and Trewlaney loudly slurped her tea.

Both Hermione and Neville shirked under her gaze as they were both the youngest members of the staff. Hermione, however, knew she wasn’t to blame. She never argued about her Hogsmeade weekends, or the staff she was paired with for patrols. However, she thought there was one professor that she wouldn’t mind being paired with as she glanced across the room. When Severus caught her glancing at him, she quickly looked away. 

“Now, I’ve decided to put all of your names in a hat, and I’ll draw pairings that way.” She tried to resist smirking but failed. It was clear that she was up to something, as always. Dumbledore wasn’t the only meddlesome one. “So, let’s see what the luck of the draw will be. First, we’ll be drawing for this weekend.”

Someone groaned in the back, “That’s tomorrow!”

“Yes, so let’s get on with it, shall we?” Minerva reached into the actual hat that she was using.

“She’s enjoying this too much,” Neville whispered to Hermione. He glanced at her, half-amused, half-worried.

“Clearly,” Hermione whispered back, giggling quietly. She quickly schooled her features when a few professors cast her and Neville some condescending looks. Sometimes, she really wanted to tell Aurora and a few of the others to get the sticks out of their arses and to relax a bit. 

“Okay, the first name drawn is Severus!” Minerva exclaimed, casting him a pleased grin. “You’ll be on duty tomorrow, so let’s see who will be joining you.” She reached into the hat and pulled out the next without any further ado. 

“Hermione! You and Severus will be in charge of chaperoning tomorrow. Up next, we’ll have-”

"I want to be paired with Aurora or Filius," Severus stated firmly, interrupting Minerva’s next words, "not Granger.” He cleared his throat. “No offence, Miss Granger,” he added as an after-thought, barely sparing her a glance.

"Offence taken,” Hermione grumbled under her breath, resisting the urge to turn around and give Severus a piece of her mind. How dare he… 

"I'm just saying—"

"Enough," Minerva stated, sighing loudly as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "The patrols will stay as is. We will switch partners on a bi-monthly basis. That's final." She glared at her professors, challenging one of them to argue. Her gaze narrowed in on Severus, waiting to see if he would tempt her temper. 

When neither of them answered, she quickly drew the rest of the names and assigned the next few Hogsmeade weekends. When she finished, Minerva ended the meeting, and there was a flurry of activity as everyone got up to leave. 

Hermione stood, trying to find Severus. Figuring he must have left, she huffed and turned, suddenly bumping into someone. “Sorry!” she exclaimed quickly, trying to right herself. Looking up, she huffed. Of course she had to bump into _him_.

Severus scowled at her. “Meet me in front of the Great Hall tomorrow, 8 o’clock sharp. Don’t be late.” He turned on his heel and strode from the room, his robes billowing behind him as they usually did. Vaguely, she wondered if he charmed them to do so.

“Okay,” she said, calling out after him after a moment.

“Are you going to make your move tomorrow?” a voice said behind her.

Hermione let out a small yelp and turned around, eyes wide. “Neville, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said quickly, but his smirking expression said otherwise. 

“Please, you might be able to fool Harry and Ron, but you can’t fool me,” Neville said, swinging his arm around Hermione’s shoulders as he led her out of the staff room. 

“He doesn’t feel that way about me,” she murmured, biting her lower lip. “We’re colleagues at best, Nev.” 

Neville shrugged. “You might be surprised.”

“Please, I’m pretty sure I’d know if he was interested,” Hermione said, looking at him. She arched a brow in challenge at Neville. 

“Hermione, the man barely speaks… How would you know that he liked you? You know Snape’s the suffer in silence type. He probably keeps it to himself so he doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable.” 

“If he feels anything for me to begin with,” Hermione pointed out. 

“Only one way to find out,” Neville said, stopping at his corridor. “Let me know how tomorrow goes.” He kissed her cheek before heading down the hall. 

Sighing, Hermione made her way to her own quarters, feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement about what tomorrow would bring. Try as she might, she couldn’t get Neville’s words out of her head… Maybe Severus did have feelings with her? She needed to figure out if she was going to say or do anything.

* * *

Severus scowled from his place in the corner. He had paused after storming from the staff room and was about to return to ask Minerva a question when he saw Longbottom and Granger lingering in the hallway.  
They were looking rather cosy, and while he couldn’t hear what they were saying, he didn’t care for the fact that Longbottom was touching her like that. And of course, as if fate were sneering down upon them, he had to watch as Longbottom brushed his lips against her cheek. Were they together? He knew the two of them were close, but he had assumed it was friendship. But kissing her? That indicated more than friendship. 

Scowling, Severus reminded himself that he didn’t have a claim on Granger. Never once had he given her any inkling that he was interested, so why did it matter what she did or who she kissed. She wasn’t psychic, so it wasn’t a betrayal of any sort. 

Of course, he couldn’t help the sting of jealousy that swarmed under his skin. He wanted it to be _his_ lips on her cheek, not Longbottom’s. 

His scowl deepened. After the two of them parted ways, he stormed his way back to the staff room to speak to Minerva. He didn’t want to do rounds with Granger, especially now that he knew she was off-limits. Of course, he had been pushing her away this entire time, so that was what he wanted - wasn’t it? For her to not get any idea of his growing attraction to her and for her to find someone else? 

He had thought so, but now, he wasn’t so sure. 

“Ah, Severus, I was expecting you to come storming back in here,” Minerva said, grinning at him when she saw him lingering in the doorway. 

“Change my partner,” he half-demanded, half-begged. Moving closer to her, he allowed her a small glimpse of his vulnerability when he added a soft, “ _Please_.”

“I’m sorry, Severus, but I can’t. If I do, then everyone will want to change their partners, and I’ll be stuck with a mess… The whole reason I drew names was to avoid the mess.” Minerva shrugged. “I don’t know why you’re upset. You’ll get it done tomorrow and out of the way, and then you can move on.” She looked at him, her eyes narrowed. “Is there a particular reason you don’t want to supervise with her?”

“Yes,” Severus ground out after a moment. 

“Is it a legitimate reason?” Minerva pressed.

“I think so,” he retorted. 

“Will either of you be in life-threatening danger if you supervise together?”

Severus pursed his lips. While he wanted to say yes because he knew he wanted to hex her, he couldn’t. “No,” he admitted after a moment. 

“Then the two of you will be fine,” Minerva said. “It might actually do you some good to spend some time together.” 

Severus narrowed his eyes as a suspicion began to niggle at him from the back of his mind. “I swear to Merlin, woman, if you rigged your little system to put the two of us together, I’m going to-”

“Come now, Severus, don’t give me too much credit,” she teased, but her eyes sparkled and gave him a clue that he was right. 

He scowled. “You’re just as bad as Albus.” 

“I try my best,” she said cheerily. 

“But seriously, what would you hope to gain by pushing us together?” Severus inquired. 

Minerva placed a hand on his shoulder as she looked him in the eye. “I may be an old woman, Severus, but I’m not senile. I can see what’s in front of me, even if you can’t.” She patted his shoulder lovingly. “Enjoy your trip to Hogsmeade tomorrow, Severus.” 

With that, she strode from the staff room, leaving Severus to stand there alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Hermione stood outside of the Great Hall. She held her breath in anticipation as she waited for Severus to appear. Her stomach was a flutter of nerves as she waited, and honestly, she wasn't sure why she was so nervous. She had done rounds with Severus before, but she couldn’t get Neville’s words out of her mind. 

Did Severus have feelings for her? How would she know if he did, as he never spoke more than two words to her unless he was forced to. Still, she told herself that she wouldn’t read too much into anything that happened today. 

Soon enough, Hermione heard his footsteps. He appeared around the corner, his black robes billowing behind him. He looked quite intimidating, per usual. And of course, there was his usual sour expression.

“Severus,” Hermione greeted him, bringing him up short. “Good morning.”

“It would be a good morning if I were in my private rooms, enjoying my breakfast at a leisurely pace… Not heading toward Hogsmeade to watch a bunch of annoying children.” He scowled. 

Hermione huffed. “You know, would it kill you to try and be a little more pleasant?” she snipped, arching a brow at him as she crossed her arms. If he was going to be an arse, she’d give it right back to him. She had been all excited to spend time with Severus today, and instead, she was going to be stuck with his grumpier-than-usual self. 

“It might,” he answered deadpanned, though the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned.

Hermione smirked. _Okay, there’s a smirk on his face, that’s a win!_ she silently celebrated, knowing that it would be baby steps with him. “Well, let’s get going, then.” 

Snape nodded curtly. “After you,” he said, gesturing with his hands. 

Hermione walked past him, ignoring the way her heart started to beat a little faster. She crossed her fingers that she would be able to get some type of quality time with him today. 

“Have a great time,” the Headmistress said as they passed her in the doorway, her clipboard in hand as she ticked off who was leaving the castle.

* * *

The first few hours of Hogsmeade rounds were uneventful. They caught a few students kissing, but besides that, nothing too dramatic. 

Hermione glanced at Severus, wanting to bring up some sort of conversation, but she wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t want to say something, have Severus shut down, and ruining the rest of the day. She could ask him about his classes, maybe? Or the most recent publication of _Potions Weekly_. Just as she opened her mouth to ask him, he surprised her by speaking first.

“So, you and Longbottom?”

Hermione nearly tripped because those had been the last words that she would have expected from his mouth. She looked at him just to make sure that he had actually spoken to her. 

He arched a brow at her as he waited for her response. 

“Me and Neville?” She sputtered, still in shock. “What in Merlin’s name gave you that idea?” she asked, resisting the urge to scoff. Neville was like a brother to her, much like Ron and Harry. She didn’t have a single romantic notion towards him. 

“The two of you are just rather… close,” he said after a few moments. 

Hermione shook her head. “No, we’re close, yes, but we’re just friends.” She licked her lips nervously. “Being two young professors at Hogwarts, we’ve banded together, in a way. It’s hard to be the newbie, especially fresh out of school.” She glanced at Severus from the corner of her eye. “I’m sure it was the same for you, when you started,” she softly. “You were very young, weren’t you?” 

Severus slowed his step. “Yes, I was,” he answered after a moment. “It was difficult to suddenly teach students that I spent time with in our Common Room.” 

“Luckily, spending most of last year on the run helped to create that distance between myself and the younger students,” Hermione said. “Not that being on the run was a lucky scenario. What’s lucky is that we all made it out alive.” She paused, taking a deep breath. “Neville has a bit of a harder time,” she added. “But he’s been very firm on his students. He doesn’t want them to see him as a pushover.” 

“That I’ve heard,” Severus said, smirking. “Lots of grumbles from the Slytherins about the Herbology professor that has a stick up his-”

“Severus!” Hermione chided, turning to face him. When she saw that he was almost smiling, her breath caught in her throat. 

The snow began to fall softly down around them as Severus looked down at her. Hermione was caught in his gaze, her heart racing wildly in her chest. 

“Let’s get some drinks,” Hermione announced, breaking the moment between them. “Or Butterbeers, at least. It’s nearly four, we’ve made it most of the day, let’s get out of the cold and have a beverage.” She looked at him, hoping that he wouldn’t scowl or give her some snarky response. 

“Fine, I’m cold,” he grumbled. 

Hermione beamed, that was as good of a response that she could hope for. Together, the two of them made their way to the Three Broomsticks.

* * *

Sitting next to Hermione at the bar, he waved Rosmerta over. As much as he was loathed to admit it, it was a good idea for them both to head inside. It was cold, and with the snow falling, heading indoors to warm up was a good idea. 

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Rosmerta asked, looking back and forth between the two of them with a grin. “Never thought I’d see you both together.”

“We’re doing rounds,” Severus said, glaring at her. “Don’t read into it.”

“Spoilsport,” Rosmerta pouted. Turning to Hermione, she smiled. “What can I get for you, dearie?” 

“Two Butterbeers,” she said. “Please and thank you, Rosmerta.” 

“Of course, be right back with those,” she said, turning to get the drinks. 

Severus watched as Hermione shimmied out of her robes and took off her scarf and hat. He followed suit, undressing so that he wouldn’t be sweating in the warm room. 

Looking around, he saw that the place was mostly filled with students, only a few Hogsmeade regulars. Returning his attention to Hermione, he saw that she was worrying her lower lip between her teeth. He opened his mouth to say something, but shut it when Rosmerta placed two frothy Butterbeers in front of them. 

“Thanks,” he said, sliding one towards Hermione, his breath hitching slightly when their fingers brushed. 

“Yessss,” Hermione hissed, beaming with excitement as she took a big sip of her drink. 

Severus lifted his own mug and took a sip, and he swallowed before he nearly dropped the mug. “Hermione,” he said, turning to face her. When he met her gaze, he saw that she already had a dreamy expression on her face. “Hermione,” he said more firmly. It was clear her drink had also been spiked.

“Hmmmm?” she asked, looking at him. Her cheeks were flushed, and Severus was struck by the fact that she looked utterly adorable. 

“The drinks have been spiked with a love potion,” he said softly. 

Hermione sucked her lower lip between her teeth again and peered up at him. “Oh,” she said softly. 

He clenched his hands into fists, wanting to lean forward and suck on her lips the way she currently was. 

“It didn’t taste any different,” she murmured. “And I didn’t smell anything different.” She looked at him. “Was it Amortentia, or something else?” 

“Something else,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “A little more potent than Amortentia,” he said. Uncorking the phial, he took a sip before offering it to Hermione. 

She took it and looked at it. “What is this?” she asked, looking at him curiously. 

“A general antidote,” Severus said. “It should lower the effects of the potion until it wears off. Since we both only took a sip, it should only last a few hours.”

Hermione nodded and took a sip, her face scrunching up at the taste. “Disgusting,” she coughed out. 

Severus resisted the urge to smirk. “Most potions aren’t known for their flavour.”

“Right,” Hermione nodded. “Of course. Functionality comes first, and adding flavouring could disrupt the way the ingredients interact with each other.”

Severus was somewhat surprised, so he nodded. He knew that Hermione did well with Potions during her time at Hogwarts, but it was clear that she still brewed, or at least kept up with potions. 

“Rosmerta,” he called out, asking her to come back over. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, looking back and forth between them and their barely-drank Butterbeers. 

“Did you make the Butterbeers like usual?” Severus asked, his voice low. 

“Yes,” she murmured. “Is something wrong with it?”

“There was a love potion in both of ours,” Severus told her. 

Her eyes widened. “What?!” she nearly screeched, leaning over the bar to be closer to them both. “Severus, I hope you know that I would _never_ do that to either of you.” 

“I know, Rosmerta,” Severus assured her. “But someone did. Looking around, no one else seems to be under the effects of anything, so it’s safe to assume that it was just Hermione and myself that were targeted.” 

Looking at Hermione, Severus saw that she was just watching him with a dreamy expression on her face, but every so often, she would glance at Rosmerta with a hint of jealousy. 

“So, everything was prepared like usual?” he asked. 

Rosmerta looked thoughtful for a moment. “No, the only difference is that your mugs were fresh from the wash. The busboy brought them up. Let me grab him.” 

As Severus waited, he resisted the urge to lean in closer to Hermione. 

“Severus,” she murmured softly, peering up at him. 

He cleared his throat, his own cheeks heating up. Luckily, Rosmerta returned that moment with the busboy. Looking at him, Severus slipped into the boy’s mind and quickly realised that he didn’t know anything. So, whoever had slipped them the potion, they were careful with how they did it. It could have been slipped in between Rosmerta preparing the drink and then serving it to them. Maybe a Disillusionment Charm? At this point, however, there wasn’t much they could do. 

“What do we do?” Hermione asked, almost reading his thoughts. 

“We just have to let it run its course,” he told her. “We should split up for the rest of the Hogsmeade visit to avoid temptation.” 

Hermione’s gaze turned sultry. “Are you tempted by me, Severus?” she asked, her voice was husky, and it went straight to his cock. 

He shifted in the seat. “See? Exactly why we should split up.” 

“Let me know if either of you needs anything,” Rosmerta said softly, letting them know that she was still there. “I can make you new drinks.” 

“I’ll take one,” Hermione said, accepting the offer. 

Severus took that as his cue. “No, thank you, Rosmerta. Hermione, I’ll find you at the end of the day.” 

“I’m sorry again, Severus,” Rosmerta called after him as he got up and headed towards the exit. He waved her off, knowing that it wasn’t her fault. She wasn’t the one who had potioned them…

The question was, who did?

* * *

Walking around under the influence of a love potion was more difficult than Hermione had anticipated. Every five seconds, she had found herself looking for Severus. 

She knew them keeping space was the best way to keep their heads level, but she just wanted to find him and kiss him. She wanted to tell him how much she loved him. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair and whisper sweet nothings in his ear.

She froze, taking a deep sigh as she tightened her scarf around her neck. “Get a grip,” she whispered to herself. She couldn’t let the students know that she was under the influence of a potion. And she wouldn’t embarrass herself or Severus by acting on it. 

Merlin, she could only imagine someone from the Daily Prophet getting wind of Severus and her snogging senseless in the village while they were supposed to be supervising students… It was a PR disaster waiting to happen.

So distance was good. Safe. The right thing to do.

Even though every fibre of her being was telling her to find Severus and confess her undying love. 

“Come on, Hermione,” she muttered. Vaguely, she wondered how Severus was faring. With self-control like his, she was sure he was fine. At least his antidote had muted the potion… If she felt this strongly with it being muted, she could only imagine how bad things would be if they were experiencing it full-blown.

Who would have done this to them? A student? Another professor? 

Shaking her head, she knew there wasn’t any way to figure out who was responsible, but still, she wondered. Licking her lips, she sighed dreamily as thoughts of Severus filled her mind. 

“Miss Granger.” Severus smiled warmly at her.

This was it; she was finally hallucinating. There was no way that Severus would be smiling at her right now. Wandering down the sidewalk, she shivered. The air was chilly as the sun began to set. Vaguely, she wondered if it was almost time for them to start rounding the students up. 

“Miss Granger!” His voice was firmer this time. 

Freezing, Hermione turned. He was still smiling at her, and as he approached, she realised that he was actually there. “Oh, sorry,” she hissed in embarrassment. “Honestly, I thought I imagined you.” She flushed. “I wasn’t ignoring you.” 

“No worries, Hermione,” he assured her, smiling down at her. 

“Sorry,” she murmured again. She licked her lips, her eyes darting up to his and then sliding down to his mouth. 

Severus swallowed. He watched as she moved her gaze from his eyes to his lips again, and he stilled himself to resist mimicking the movement. 

Hermione cleared her throat, feeling the heat rising between them. Despite keeping their distance, they had somehow found themselves trapped together by the potion. 

He reached down and brushed a stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear. 

Hermione sucked in a quick breath at his touch, her eyes closing slightly. She could feel the heat continue to burn, but she couldn’t pull herself away. She watched as Severus swallowed again as if trying to get rid of the lump in his throat. Her tongue swiped over her lips as she watched, desperately wishing she could lean forward and press her lips against his throat. 

“We need to start rounding the students up,” Severus whispered, his voice husky. 

“Mhmmm,” Hermione murmured, leaning forward slightly. 

“I’ve already cast the warning spell, so most of them should be moving towards the castle.” His gaze dipped to her lips, and he leant forward slightly as if drawn to her. He was caught in her orbit, and was helpless to resist.

Closing her eyes, she leant forward and waited for the feel of his lips on hers. 

“Hermione.” He put some force in his voice as he placed his hands on her shoulder. She frowned as she lifted her eyes up to his, hating that the moment was over. The building heat between them fizzled as Severus put up the wall between them once more. “It’s time to return to the castle.”

“Right, yes, of course,” she muttered, her cheeks burning in embarrassment as she stepped away. She cursed the potion for making her feel this way. 

Turning on her heel, she began to round up the lingering students, desperately wishing that she and Severus had actually kissed, instead of this almost kiss that they had. 

“So close, but yet so far,” she murmured under her breath. 

Pushing thoughts of Severus away - a near-impossible feat - she focused on her job.

* * *

Once everyone was back to Hogwarts, and the doors were shut behind them, a sigh of relief escaped Severus’s lips. The ordeal was over, and he could now separate himself from Hermione’s presence to let the effects of the potion wear off. 

He turned to storm off but froze when he felt her small hand grasp his wrist. 

“Severus, wait!” she said, tightening her grip on him. She peered up at him, her eyes wide. “I… Can we talk-”

“No,” Severus said curtly, hating the flash of hurt that appeared in her brown eyes. He hated that he did that to her, but he needed to put some space between them before either of them did something they would both regret.

Truthfully, he wanted nothing more than to push her up against the wall in the corridor and snog her senseless. But, he couldn’t. He had to resist both his own natural attraction to her and the effects of the potion. 

Hermione stroked the inside of his wrist as she peered up at him. “Severus,” she whispered. 

Severus pulled his wrist away and stepped back and turned away so that he was no longer facing her. He couldn’t bear to look her in the face right now as his resolve was crumbling and he needed to regain control of himself. “Good evening, Miss Granger.” 

“But I think we should-”

“No,” he repeated, his voice sounding tired and haggard. Turning, he glared at her. “Go to your room, Hermione, and move on.”

She opened her mouth to say something, but he turned and fled, hating himself for leaving her hanging, but he couldn’t. His control was slipping with each passing second, and he couldn’t stand the idea of taking advantage of her in this way. He was a mere moment away from turning around and pulling her into his arms. The potion was coursing through his veins, trying to influence his actions, but he refused to allow it to control him. He was stronger than that. 

Clenching his hands into fists, he headed straight for his rooms and his bathroom. He was in dire need of a cold shower. Maybe that would alleviate some of the tension he felt, although a part of him doubted it.

Stripping his clothing, he stepped into the water and closed his eyes, a tired sigh escaping his lips. 

Despite the water being freezing, it did nothing to assuage the erection he was now sporting. Despite his desires to will it away, he found himself trailing his fingers along the underside of his cock. He focused on the feel of his calloused fingers moving over his cock before he wrapped his hand into a fist. 

He wanted to be angry, but instead, as he found himself stroking, he closed his eyes and imagined Hermione in the shower. He pictured her on her knees before him, the water running down her naked body as she peered up at him with those large, brown eyes of her. 

He braced his other hand against the wall, bowing his head beneath the spray of the shower. As he stroked himself faster, he imagined that it was Hermione’s small hand stroking him instead. He imagined Hermione’s fingers moving quickly, her other hand teasing him as she brought him to completion. 

Would she swallow his come? Or would he come all over her face? Maybe her tits? The mere thought had his cock throbbing. Yes, he was sure that her breasts would look perfect covered in his essence. 

Stroking himself faster, he let out a groan as he came. “Hermione,” he gasped, allowing her name to fall from his lips as his pleasure consumed him. 

Leaning against the shower wall, he closed his eyes. Potion or no potion, he needed to figure out what he was going to do. His self-control was slipping with every passing moment.

* * *

Hermione was finishing up in the shower when a strange sensation came over her. She shuddered before it suddenly felt like the water had gone cold. After a few moments, she realised the water was still hot, but without the effects of the potion, she now felt cold… empty. 

She took a shaky breath and allowed herself to slide down the wall of her shower. After a moment, she took another deep breath. 

“Thank Merlin that’s over,” she muttered to herself, closing her eyes in relief. The love potion had tried her patience in more ways than one, and she knew it was the same for Severus. What if something had happened between them? She didn’t want to do anything that would have jeopardised their friendship. Plus, engaging in sexual acts while under the influence would be considered nonconsensual, and the last thing she wanted was to get stuck in a tricky situation with Severus.

But still, she couldn’t help but wonder… With a groan, she shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. She stood and tilted her head upwards, letting the water run down her face. 

Rinsing the remaining soap from her body, Hermione stepped out of the shower. Towelling off, she knew that she should retire for the night, but she couldn’t push Severus from her mind.

Touching her lips, she sighed as they recalled their near-kiss. 

“Today had been torture,” she told Crookshanks, sitting on her bed. “We almost kissed, and I wanted us to.” Licking her lips, she couldn’t help but smile. “It felt so real, like he had wanted to kiss me too… But I’m sure it was just the potion,” she added grumpily. “But for a moment, Crooks, it felt like there was something there.” Laying in bed, she covered her face with her hands. “I feel like I should go see him… Maybe talk to him about what had happened today… Or would that make it worse?” She groaned. “What should I do, Crooks?” She turned, looking at her familiar. 

Crookshanks looked at her for a moment before he turned to start licking himself as if he couldn’t be bothered with her dilemma.

“Some help you are,” she grumbled at her familiar. 

She glanced at her pyjamas, but instead of slipping them on, she went to her closet and pulled out some real clothes. She tossed on some jeans and a tee-shirt, having made up her mind to go see Severus. She knew the two of them needed to talk about what had happened. Initially, she wanted to give them some space to process, but at this point, she knew she wouldn't sleep without seeing him. She could only hope that he would see her, instead of just sending her back to her rooms. 

"Wish me luck, Crooks," she said to her familiar, sliding on a set of robes in case she bumped into anyone at this late hour. Crookshanks meowed in response and Hermione headed out before she lost her courage. 

_You’re a Gryffindor, for Merlin’s sake, get it together_ , she told herself.

She swiftly made her way towards Severus's quarters. When she arrived, she stood outside the door for a moment, trying to steady her racing heart. Would he be upset she was visiting at this hour? Was he already in bed? What if he didn't want to see her? Was she just making a fool of herself? 

Taking a deep breath, she steeled her spine and knocked on his doors. _You can do this,_ she told herself as she waited. She could handle any snark he threw at her - she was Hermione Granger for Merlin’s sake!

The door opened a smidgen, and Severus peered out. “Hermione?” He opened the door more when he realised it was her. “What are you doing here?”

“Can I come in?” she asked. “I’d rather not have this conversation in the hall.”

He hesitated for half a second before nodding and stepping aside so she could enter. Once inside, she turned to face him, but when she opened her mouth, no words came out.

Severus met her gaze, the heat in his eyes nearly smouldering. “I…” He opened his mouth, but also struggled to get any words out. 

Neither of them knew who made the first move, but the next thing they knew, they were kissing. One of his hands was cupping her cheek; the other was tangling itself in her hair. Their lips were moving against each other in perfect harmony as they kissed for the first time.

Hermione couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t believe that she was snogging Severus. _Finally!_ After months of pining after him, they were finally doing this! His teeth scraped her lower lip, and she let out a soft moan. "Severus," she gasped as his lips began to kiss their way towards her neck. She couldn’t help but moan once more as he sucked at a tender spot on her collarbone. Her body hummed with want as he covered her body with his. She wasn’t quite sure how they ended up horizontal on the sofa, but she wasn’t going to complain. Every touch of him felt incredible and left her breathlessly wanting more.

"So beautiful," Severus murmured, kissing every inch of skin he could get at. "Do you know what you’ve done to me? How much you’ve teased and taunted me these past few months?” His lips teased her mercilessly, each touching increasing the want she felt for him.

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" she asked softly, looking for his eyes. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as she waited for him to continue speaking. 

He paused, meeting her gaze. "Having you so close has been torture. Whenever you're near me, all I can think about is bending you over the nearest piece of furniture and taking you from behind. I tried resisting how I felt about you, for numerous reasons, obviously, but I couldn’t. I’m just sorry that it took a potion’s incident for me to realise how desperately I both need and want you."

She flushed at his words. "Please," she begged, her insides clenching slightly as he slipped his hand beneath her jeans and knickers. His fingers quickly found her clit, stroking it slightly. "Gods," Hermione murmured, letting out a breathy gasp. Two strokes of his fingers and already she felt like she could come.

"So wet," Severus purred. "You’re just aching for my touch, aren’t you, Hermione?"

"Yes!" Hermione cried, shivering slightly in pleasure. "Severus, I need you!" She fumbled her hands, gripping the hem of his black tee-shirt and pulling it up over him. Her eyes took in as much of his bare torso as possible. She saw that his body was covered in scars, and immediately, her heart ached. Severus had been through so much - more than anyone deserved to go through. Meeting his eyes, she tried to show him just how much she cared for him, scars or not. She didn’t want him to think she was having second thoughts.

Severus pulled away. "Shall we take this to my room?” he suggested, looking at her. He paused, clearly giving her an out if she wanted it. And the look on his face made her realise that she could tell him no, and that things would be okay for them both. However, she was past waiting for him. 

"Yes, please," Hermione said, allowing Severus to help her up off the sofa. She refused to let go of his hand, not wanting the moment between them to be lost. He pulled her through his quarters, and she realised the layout was similar to her own. No sooner had the door been shut, Severus backed her up against it.

"Are you a virgin?" Severus asked, peering into her eyes. He cupped her cheek, tenderly stroking it.

"No,” Hermione told him. “And I’m on the potion, so we’re set on that front.” 

Severus nodded before kissing her eagerly, reigniting the passion between them. Grinding his hips against her, he groaned. "Want you so bad," he murmured, kissing and nipping at her neck. “Your skin tastes so sweet.” He placed another sweet, lingering kiss on her collarbone, enjoying how she squirmed against him. "Like a sweet, sweet nectar."

"Severus," she moaned. "Please." She bit her lower lip as he pulled her shirt up over her head and quickly removed her bra. Her nipples tightened from the cold air, begging for his touch. His fingers skimmed her stomach, sending her body into overdrive as he knelt before her. She bit her lower lip as he began to undo her jeans and shimmed them and her knickers down her legs, leaving her bare before him. Hermione always thought Severus looked sexy, but seeing him on his knees, peering up at her with such an expression of desire made him so look so attractive, she almost couldn’t handle it.

"I’d love to hear you beg, Hermione," Severus purred, spreading her legs slightly. Leaning forward, he licked her centre, his mouth hot on her core. “Merlin, do you know how good you taste?” He began to pleasure her, the sweet sounds of her moans filling his ears.

Hermione's eyes fluttered closed as she tangled her hands into his long, dark hair. "Gods," she whimpered as his tongue swirled around her clit, teasing her. "So good." A part of her still couldn’t believe that this was happening. A fantasy come true. "Severus," she moaned. She couldn’t wait to have him inside of her. 

A few more swipes of his talented tongue was all it took for Hermione to tumble over the edge. He held her hips in place as she came, his name falling from her lips repeatedly. He pulled away as she slowly started to come down from her high. Standing, Severus freed his hardened cock from the confines of his trousers and pants. "Are you sure?" he asked, stroking himself in anticipation.

"Yes," Hermione replied, looking into his eyes. She smiled at him, nodding slightly. "Severus, I've waited for this. I'm ready. I want you." She licked her lips nervously. “I want you because I truly want you, not because some potion made me see reason.” They both knew the potion was out of their systems at this point, but still, she wanted to reiterate that she was there - in his bedroom - because she wanted to be. She grinned at him. “And I want you to fuck me against this wall, right now. Don’t make me wait any longer.”

"I want you too, Hermione," Severus said, picking her up. He braced her against the wall as he grasped his cock before sliding into her. He began to move, thrusting up into her as he groaned. "You feel like pure perfection… like your cunt was made for my cock.”

She flushed, gripping onto his shoulders. "Gods, Severus, more!" She bit her lower lip as he continued to move, thrusting into her. She tried to lock her ankles around his waist but failed, so she settled on resting her heels on his perfect arse.

"So beautiful," he said, peppering kisses across her face, settling on her lips. He kissed her fully then, his tongue slipping inside her mouth. "Hermione," he whispered, saying her name softly, like a sweet caress.

Hermione could feel her body tighten as her second orgasm began to approach. As his lips settled on her neck, nipping and sucking all over, she let out a cry as she came. "Severus!" Her toes curled, and her walls gripped his cock tightly.

The feel of her was too much. Severus cursed as he came, thrusting upwards as he emptied himself inside of her. Their bodies were slick with sweat as they ground against each other, finishing their orgasms in unison.

When they were both spent, Severus held her tightly in his arms, resting his forehead against hers. "Hermione," he whispered tenderly, feeling some of the ice around his heart start to melt.

"That was amazing, I lo-," Hermione replied, cutting off the words as she realised what she was about to say. How could she possibly say something like that? Was she trying to frighten Severus away? Clearing her throat, she looked at him through her lashes, her heart beating loudly in her chest.

Severus grinned, the expression on his face sending another rush of want through her. He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips to reassure her. "I feel the same way."

"I… You do?" She couldn’t believe it. The whole ordeal still felt too good to be true to her. To hear that he had feelings for her as well? It was more than she could hope to hear.

"Why don't we get some sleep," Severus suggested, looking at the Muggle clock on his nightstand. It was nearly one a.m. "We can talk more in the morning if you’d like."

"You need to let me down," Hermione pointed out, smiling slightly. He still held her against the wall, not that she minded.

Severus smiled, letting her down. “You’ll stay the night?” His tone was hopeful as he looked at her.

“Nothing would make me happier,” she quipped. “Can I freshen up in the loo?”

“Of course, through that door there,” Severus pointed. 

Kissing him on the cheek, Hermione sashayed her way to the bathroom, swinging her hips as she walked. Pausing, she reached down and snagged his shirt off the floor. She could feel Severus’s gaze on her body, and she licked her lips, trying to calm herself down. It was late, and they both needed sleep, despite how appealing another round of sex sounded.

* * *

Hermione groaned, stretching her body as she woke up. She ached, but it was in the best way possible. Rolling over, she sleepily opened her eyes and smiled when she saw Severus watching her. “Good morning,” she greeted him happily. “Hope you weren’t up waiting for me.” Leaning closer, she pressed a tender kiss to his forehead before pulling away slightly. 

“No regrets?” he asked softly, his voice low.

Hermione shook her head. “Never,” she said quietly but confidently. “Do you?” she asked, holding her breath as she waited for his answer. The fear in her eyes nearly broke his heart.

“No,” he said, reaching out and brushing some hair from her face. “Last night was quite enjoyable, don’t you think?”

“Best night of my life, actually, and I’d love a repeat,” she told him cheekily. “Because now that I’ve had you, Severus, I don’t plan on letting you go.” 

Severus moved so that he was now covering her body with his own. He kissed her gently, his hands exploring her body. He reached up and under his shirt that she was wearing, lightly cupping her breasts. “Perfect,” he murmured before he started to kiss her neck.

“Severus,” Hermione murmured, her body already responding to his light touches and kisses.

“Can I taste you?” he asked, his voice husky as he moved his hand down her body. “I want to feel you come apart on my tongue.”

“Please,” Hermione moaned. “Please, Severus.” 

He wasted no time in moving down her body, pressing kisses to her stomach as he moved. He pulled her knickers off, leaving her bare from the waist down. Positioning himself between her legs, he spread them slightly. “You are absolutely beautiful,” he said, humming in appreciation. “And all mine.” He ran his tongue along her folds, causing Hermione to gasp loudly.

She gripped his hair tightly as he began to pleasure her in earnest. “Yours,” she moaned. “Yours, Severus.” She whimpered as he lightly scraped his teeth against her clit. If every morning waking up with Severus would be like this, she would never sleep in her own bed again.

“Yes, sweet witch,” he murmured sensually. He licked and sucked, lightly alternating between fucking her with his tongue and paying attention to her clit. He teased her, enjoying the way she responded to his ministrations.

“I’m going to come,” she whimpered, wriggling her hips against his face. She tried to arch her hips to press herself against him, but he held her hips down, effectively keeping her in place.

“Then come,” Severus murmured. He swirled his tongue around her clit teasingly, wanting to bring her over the edge. When she tensed, he knew she was almost there, and he doubled his efforts. 

Hermione gasped as her orgasm washed over her body. She shivered as Severus’s dark eyes stared at her. The amount of want in them was moving. “Undress,” she murmured, looking at him pleadingly. “I want your cock inside me now.” Licking her lips, she watched him hungrily. “I _need_ your cock.”

“Bossy witch,” Severus responded with a smirk. He slid his pants off, and once he was naked, he positioned himself between her legs. He slowly entered her, sighing as he did so. She felt like heaven on earth… like there was no other place he was meant to be. Within moments, the two were thrusting against each other.

“Severus,” Hermione moaned. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer so they were now chest to chest. He felt wonderful inside her —as if they were made for each other.

Severus sighed as he buried his face in the hollow of her neck. He quickly moved his hips, knowing that his orgasm was quickly approaching. She felt too good, and as much as he wanted this to last, he knew that they’d have more time later. Now that he had her in his arms, he never wanted to let her go. 

Hermione could sense it, as she began to move against him with increased fervour. She rubbed her hands along his back, pulling him against her as best as she could. She wanted him pressed against her completely, consuming her.

His rhythm grew faster, and Severus let out a moan. His come spilled into her as her inner walls gripped him tightly. He panted, silently thanking Merlin for such a beautiful witch.

Hermione let out a soft moan as Severus collapsed against her. She brushed his hair out of his face and kissed his sweaty forehead. “Thank you,” she murmured, peering up at him, love in her eyes. 

“You don’t have to thank me,” he answered with a chuckle. 

Hermione cuddled up against his side, letting out a deep breath. “You know, as much as I hate to admit it, I’m glad we had that potion mishap.” She peered up at him, waiting to see what he would say.

Severus arched a brow at her. “Come now, Hermione, that was a dangerous situation.” He shook his head, tightening his grip on her.

“But nothing happened while we were under the influence,” she pointed out. “I only meant, that if it hadn’t been for the potion, you and I might not have…” She gestured between the two of them. 

Severus opened his mouth to refute her point but closed it. “You may be right,” he conceded. Knowing himself, he likely would have pushed Hermione away, and within time, she would have moved on to another wizard. The thought of her without someone else, however, had him scowling. He subconsciously tightened his grip on her. 

She smiled up at him, feeling his hold on her. “I’m not going anywhere,” she told him confidently. “Especially today, since it’s Sunday morning, and we have nowhere to go.”

“Shall we have breakfast in bed?” Severus asked, grinning at her. “I can ask the elves to bring something up. Maybe some fruits? Pancakes? Some bacon?” When her stomach grumbled in response, he laughed.

Hermione licked her lips, hungry for more than just food. “Severus, we’re having breakfast, lunch, and dinner in this bed.” She scooted closer, making it clear that nothing in the world would be able to move her from his bed.

“Don’t forget dessert,” he added, smirking at her cheekily. He licked his lips in anticipation. 

“Can’t forget that,” she murmured, claiming his lips in a loving kiss. When he tightened his hold on her, she melted against his body, knowing that there was no other place that she would want to be.


	2. Artwork by katherine1753

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gorgeous artwork by katherine1753.

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/154405872@N07/50872094793/in/dateposted/)


	3. Artwork by LunaP999

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stunning artwork by LunaP999 .

[](https://www.flickr.com/photos/154405872@N07/50872798621/in/photostream/)


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